Page 36 of The Orc King's Bride

“An excellent suggestion,” I say, smiling. Worry about Sloane’s whereabouts fades to the background as I anticipate her happiness at meeting Queen Mia.

After Mornah leaves, I move to my communication device, my fingers hovering over the controls. I take a deep breath, centering myself, then initiate the call to Renowlf. It’s time to update my ally—and to share the joy of my new bond with Sloane.

Before I can complete the call, there is a loud knock on my door. When I open it, my mother Paxari stands there, her face etched with worry.

“Dexari, you must come quickly,” she says. “Your father is in a rage. He is not pleased with your choice of queen.”

“I do not need to explain my actions to him, Mother, or mollify his feelings. Now that I wear the crown, pleasing him is no longer—"

She interrupts my arrogant diatribe by grabbing my arm. “There is no time to argue. Denari believes the human female reneged on her agreement to provide you with an heir and has somehowmanipulated you into naming her queen. He is on his way to confront her about it. I fear he may do something rash.”

“Sloane never agreed to his insulting scheme.” I feel the color drain from my face. “How angry is he, Mother?”

Paxari’s eyes are wide with fear. “It is hard to say, yet I have not seen him like this in many cycles of the seasons. You need to come now and defuse the situation before Denari does something we will all regret!”

Chapter 33

Sloane

I lean backin the garden chair, cradling the cooling mug of kafa between my hands. The orc version of coffee isn’t quite the same as what I remember from Earth, but it’s close enough to be comforting, and a hell of a lot better than the beverages on the other planets I’ve been on.

The garden seems especially peaceful this morning, the air filled with the soft chirping of alien birds and the gentle rustling of leaves. Maybe I’m still basking in the afterglow of multiple orgasms and sex with Dexari.

My orc mate is damn good in bed. If he weren’t still recovering from his fanghound injury, I would have stuck around for his morning wood. But I woke up early, and letting him sleep seemed more thoughtful.

Zephyr has just flown off to do...whatever dragalors do when they’re not babysitting a human. I smile, thinking back to our one-sided conversation over breakfast. I told him about my night with Dexari, keeping the details PG-13 in case any of the orc staff were eavesdropping.

It’s too bad Zephyr can only listen. If he could talk, what would he say about all this? Would he approve of Dex? Would he have some sage, dragalor wisdom about navigating my new life as a future queen?

I snort at the thought. Knowing Zephyr, he’d probably just tell me to stop overthinking things and enjoy the ride—literally and figuratively. Which, come to think of it, isn’t bad advice.

I take another sip of kafa, mentally planning out my day. First, I’ll check on the kitchen staff. They’ve been working on some new recipes for me, and I’m eager to see how they’re coming along. Then, I’ll head back to Dexari’s quarters to see if he’s awake.

Correction: they’re our quarters now. The reminder gives me a little thrill.

My peaceful musings are interrupted by a figure entering the garden. I look up, my good mood evaporating when I see who it is.

Denari.

The Elder’s presence is imposing, his stern expression and rigid posture telling me I’m about to get an earful for ignoring his requests to meet. I sit up straighter, setting my mug down on the bistro table.

Denari’s gaze doesn’t soften as he approaches. Definitely not a social call. A knot forms in my stomach as I realize I’m about to face whatever this is alone. I wish Dexari was here. He’d know how to handle his father, how to defuse whatever tense situation is brewing.

I force a smile, though it feels more like baring my teeth. “Elder Denari, what a surprise. I wasn’t aware we had an appointment. Please, join me.”

He takes a seat across from me. “You have been avoiding me, female.” His voice drips with barely concealed disdain.

“Not intentionally.” I lie with little conviction. “I’ve just been busy while Dexari has been recovering.”

He gets right to the point. “What have you done to my son?”

His insinuation that I did anything harmful to Dex pisses me off. “Let’s see, I saved him from fanghounds and nursed him through a nasty fever.”

“That is not what I mean and you know it,” Denari growls. “What trickery have you employed to manipulate Dexari into naming you his intended queen?”

“Now that you mention it, I do know a few tricks.” I lean in like I’m about to tell him a secret. “Between the sheets, that is. I might have rocked his world last night.” I wink, enjoying the way Denari’s face flushes a darker shade of green.

“You brazen little—” Denari sputters, his composure cracking. “Do you think this is a game? Dexari is the king. He needs a proper orc mate, not some...some human harlot who is clearly using him for power and position.”

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